Locking device for desks.



No. 638,226. Patented D'ec. 5, |899. J. P. FANGEL.

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No. 638,226. Patented Dec. 5, |899.

.y J. P. FANGEL. LOCKING DEVICE FUR DESKS.

(Applicatign led Jan. 9, 1899.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

with

JOHN P. FANGEL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

LOCKING DEVICE FOR DESKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 638,226, dated December 5, 18.99.

Application led January 9,1899. Serial No. 701,559. (No model.)

T0 all whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, JOHN P. FANGEL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York city,c.ounty of New York,and State `of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Locking Devices for Desks, of which the following is a specification,reference being had to the accompanying drawings,forniing a part thereof, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Thisinvention relates to an improvement in locking devices for desks; and the object thereof is to provide a device of this character for the type of desks known as roll-top desks, in which all the drawers in the pedestals and the curtain may be locked automatically by the action of the central or master drawer. f

I-Ieretofore in roll-top desks it has been nec'- essary to lock the curtain by means of a key,

and when the curtain is so locked the drawersv in the pedestals become locked automatically. Should it be desired to obtain access to any or all of the drawers in the pedestals of the desk, it is iirst necessary to unlock and raise the curtain before the drawers can be withdrawn.

This invention, which will be hereinafter fully described, and specifically set forth in the annexed claim, enables the user of the desk to lock the curtain alone, the drawers alone, or both together at will.

In the accompanying drawings,Figure lis a front elevation of a desk, all the drawers being removed and a portion of the back being broken away. Fig. 2 is a cross-section on the line 2 2 of Fig. l, showing the curtain closed, but unlocked, and the lower part of the desk breken away. Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the line 2 2 of Fig. l, showing the curtain closed and locked, the lower part of the desk being broken away; and Fig. iis, a plan view of the locking devices, the top and front of the desk being partly broken away.

In the application of my invention I employ a Vertically-slidable rod l, preferably constructed of metal and rectangular in crosssection. This rod is adapted to slide through a suitable guide 2, iiXed by means of screws or otherwise to the back 3 of the desk. The lower end 5 of said rod projects through a suitable aperture in the rear portion of the desk-table 6. The upper end 7 of the rod l is bifurcated and in this bifurcation a rocking lever S is pivoted. This rocking lever 8 is fulcrumed to a standard 9, xed to the under side of the top l0 of the roll-top portion of the desk. i The forward end ll of the rocking lever 8 has a head slightly enlarged and adapted to be moved away from and into contact with the under side of the top lO by the action of the rod 1. A cleat l2, fixed to-the forward edge of the top l0 upon its under side, is adapted to prevent thewithdrawal -of the rear bar 13 of the curtain l5 from its place.

The curtain l5 is adapted to slide in suitable ways 16, as in the ordinary roll-top desk.

A slot 17 in the rod l at apoint near its upper end is adapted to receive a guide-screw 1S.

Below the table 6 is mounted a verticallyslidable angle-iron 19, said angle-iron being provided with a slot 2O and guide-screw 2l.

The lower end of this iron projects througha suitable aperture in the lower table 22. The upper end 0f the angle-iron has an. arm 33, projected at right angles therefrom, the upper face of this arm being in contact with the lower end of the rod l. The outer under side of this arm is beveled, as at 25. a

A master-drawer 26 is adapted to slide in and out upon the lower table 22, and its rear wall is adapted for contact with the beveled edge 25 of the arm 23, so that when the drawer is pushed inwardly the angle-iron 19 will be elevated, which in turn will raise the rod l and throw the head ll of the lever 8 into locked position behind the bars 13 of the curtain l5, as shown in Fig. 3.

Fixed to the under side of the table 6, and preferably extending the full length across the desk, is the block 27. This block 27 is provided with a recess 28, adapted to receive the bolt of an ordinary lock fixed in the front wall of the master-drawer and to retain it in position. The rear side of the block 27 is provided with a recess 29, also adapted to receive the bolt of the lock when the drawer is pushed away in to lock the curtain.

The pedestals are each provided with a cornbination-post 30, pivoted to the rocking arm 31, which is in turn pivoted to the lockingbar 32.

The combination-posts are mounted IOO Y Besace in the usual manner, vertically slidable `in suitable. guides, and the arml .rockslvon the screw-pivots 33, secured to the back of the desk. The locking-bar 32 is provided with an arm 35, projected through a suitable slot 86 in the inner walls of the pedestals. The arms 36 are each provid-ed with a spur 37, the under side of which is beveled and adapted to be raised when the master-drawer 2G is pushed inwardly and its rear wall cornes in contact with the beveled side of said spurs.

In the operation of the device, with the mas ten-drawer 26 in the position shown in Fig. 2, the bar 1 drops of its own weight into the position shown, the curtain being unlocked. The rear wall of the drawer 26r being out of contact with the spurs 37, thelocking-bars 32 32 fall of their own weight and raise the combination-post 30, so that the hooks are disengaged from the drawers in the pedestals and the wholedesk is unlocked.

To lock the desk, the curtain is drawn down,

as shown in Fig. 3, and themaster-drawer 26 `pushed inwardly as far as it can go. ,The

rear wall of the drawer will engage the beveled edge of the angle-iron 19 `and raise it,

thereby forcing thev rod l upwardly and the head 1l, with the rocking lever 8, downwardly behind the cross-bar 13 of the curtain. The

It will be seen that no key-actuated lock .is necessary on the curtain itself,rand this is vof the pedestals in desks -which have no central drawer.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, iss* In a desk, the combinationv of asliding drawer, 'a verticallyeslidable yrod mounted -in the back of the desk, a bcveledspur adapted for contact with the rear wall of the drawer and to lift said rod, a rocking rlever pivoted .to the upper end of said rod 'and fulcrumed to the top of the desk, a curtain. slidably mounted in suitable ohannelsat eachside of the desk, the free end of said rocking lever being adapted for Contact with the rearl bar of the curtain, whereby it :is held Ain locked position, substantially asdesc'ribed.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I' have signedv my` name, in presence of two witnesses, this Gtnday of January, 1899. l

' J. P. FANGEL. Witnesses:

S. I. PREsooTT, B. MOCOMB. 

